Review of judicial decisions in civil cases by the St. Petersburg Judicial Chamber, Based on materials from the Central State Historical Archive of St. Petersburg

Scientific article

DOI 10.28995/2073-0101-2026-2-457-473

For citation

Filonova, O. I. (2026). Review of judicial decisions in civil cases by the St. Petersburg Judicial Chamber, Based on materials from the Central State Historical Archive of St. Petersburg, Herald of an Archivist, no. 2, pp. 457-473. DOI 10.28995/2073-0101-2026-2-457-473

Filonova, O. I.

V. M. Lebedev Russian State University of Justice, North-West Branch, St. Petersburg, Russia

Review of judicial decisions in civil cases by the St. Petersburg Judicial Chamber, Based on materials from the Central State Historical Archive of St. Petersburg

Abstract

The article examines the history and development of the institution of appellate review of judicial acts in Russia. Using materials from the Central State Historical Archive of St. Petersburg, the article explores the activities of the St. Petersburg Judicial Chamber–an appellate court established during the Judicial Reform of 1864. An examination of the appellate proceedings of the St. Petersburg Judicial Chamber for the Civil Department allows for a broader source base for a comprehensive study of the Judicial Reform of 1864, both in terms of the history of civil procedure and in the context of regional history. Based on an analysis of archival documents from the St. Petersburg Judicial Chamber for the Civil Department, it is concluded that the Judicial Chamber considered cases of varying complexity and a wide range of subjects, including those related to land disputes, as well as those arising from obligations to fulfill various types of contracts and damages. The documents demonstrate the meticulous approach taken by members of the St. Petersburg Judicial Chamber in reviewing cases, as evidenced by detailed references to the Senate's position, the length of case hearings, and the assignment of expert opinions. Archival documents reveal the specific composition of the parties to civil litigation in appellate proceedings: both individuals and associations were involved in the cases; the person filing the appeal was referred to in court documents as the «appellant»; attorneys were typically listed as parties to the appeal; and the social class or occupation of the plaintiffs and defendants was always specified.

Keywords

Judicial reform of 1864, judicial acts, appellate proceedings, civil procedure, review of judicial acts, court, legal proceedings, Judicial Chamber, historical sources.

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About authors

Filonova O. I., PhD in History, PhD in Law Sciences, V. M. Lebedev Russian State University of Justice, North-West Branch, Department of Civil Procedural Law, Associate Professor, St. Petersburg, Russia, 8-911-939-74-53, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The article was received in the editorial office on 25.01.2025, recommended for publication on 20.03.2026.